The most important thing in Brad’s life is family. Brad is married to Joy, whom he met at Cornerstone University, and they have 4 children; Taylor (Berry), Allyson (Slowik), Kelsey, and Bradley. The two oldest girls have married high achieving and hardworking young men, Sam Berry and Kevin Slowik, who are greatly loved by all. The Richards children have been high achievers; and have eschewed the accepted protocols of focus on only one sport. In fact all the Richards children achieved a high GPA of 4.0 or close to it; played the piano; played another musical instrument; sang in choir; - yet every single one of the 4 Richards children achieved the incredibly difficult honor of Associated Press First Team All State for basketball in Michigan.

Brad and Joy would give anything for their children, and their children know it. These were two intentional parents who gave it all they had for their children. Brad was raised by parents who gave everything they had to raise him – every moment, every hour, his parents pushed him to be the man he became. His father, Charles, was a United States Army veteran and stern tactician, and mother Linda was a beautiful artist and pianist who were both teachers in local public schools. These were college educated folks who pushed Brad at an early age to strive to be great at whatever he dared endeavor. Brad being the firstborn and eldest, he learned how to read at the age of 2 years old! Brad’s mother was a constant source of encouragement, while his father led by example and had high expectations for Brad and his younger siblings, Paul and Rhonda. Brad’s mother was a blessed source of daily encouragement and he occasionally sheds a tear to this day thinking of her, as she passed of cancer just months after Brad married his beautiful lifelong partner Joy. His mother Linda’s passing words to her son Brad, as he listened to her in the hospital, was this: “God has big plans for you. Follow God’s will and Jesus’s path for your life.” Stumbling out of the hospital, Brad realized that he had been tasked with a mission – to find a way to follow God's leading. Brad realized that thanks to incredible parenting he had realized early on the truth of the Bible in Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” - and hopes to inspire others in the same manner.